Long Road To Love
by Kosaka
Summary: Shikamaru x Gaara. The years wear on and what begins as a vague interest becomes something much more for Gaara, but is the feeling mutual? Runs from the Chunin Exams through Shippuden.  This story may contain some spoilers and possibly very slight AU.
1. Chapter 1: At First Glance

A/N: This is a gift fic for the exceptionally awesome Fey, and as such I will be uploading all of the chapters at once. Happy Birthday Fey!

Can't guarantee these guys are entirely in character as I wrote it coming down off of a nanowrimo of 100k words, but I tried!

Remember boys and girls, yaoi means Boy x Boy Love. No Likey? No Readey.

Standard Disclaimers apply.

**Long Road to Love**

**A Naruto Fanfiction**

_**Shikamaru x Gaara**_

**Chapter 1: At First Glance**

"It's not like I wanted to do it," Shikamaru complained. "I hate tests." He ran his hand over the back of his neck and yawned.

"You were awesome though!" Ino protested. "You'll definitely become a chuunin, Shikamaru."

"I hope not," Shikamaru said. "Sounds like too much work."

Chouji swallowed and laughed a little. "That's our Shikamaru," he said before stuffing another mouthful of chips into his mouth.

The sand trio was walking by at the time and Temari shot the Nara a dirty look before rounding a corner. "I can't believe I have to fight that lazy bastard," she complained. "I know it's not our main objective, but even so..."

"I think he's interesting," Gaara said. He didn't speak often, and when he did it was normally something about death, killing, and confirming his existence, so the fact that he'd said something that didn't sound even remotely homicidal made both of his siblings stop dead in their tracks and blink.

"Ah, Gaara," Kankuro began carefully, "not to, you know, piss you off or anything, but I think I heard that wrong, did you just say you thought someone was _interesting_?"

Gaara, not at all seeing the problem with this, nodded at his older brother. "His match was interesting, with that sound nin," he said, remembering how Kin's head had collided with the wall. It was hardly an edge of your seat match by all the normal standards: there wasn't a lot of running about or blatant violence (when compared to, say, his own match with Lee, for example), but it was so different from what he was used to seeing that Gaara could only pin one possible word to it: interesting, and since the match had been interesting, that made Nara Shikamaru, also, interesting. "I want to see what a match with Temari would look like."

Temari wrinkled her nose. "Well, I'm not going to crash head first into a wall," Temari said, "that's for damn sure."

Kankuro exchanged a look with his sister as Gaara continued a few steps ahead. _"Interesting?" _he mouthed. Temari shrugged a bit. She found it kind of strange too, but wasn't about to say so.

"So, ah, Gaara, did you find any of the other matches interesting?" he asked, trying to sound as normal as possible in spite of the bizarre conversation that he was sure might just get him killed.

Gaara blinked as if he hadn't given it much thought and after a pause answered, "not particularly."

It was a passing interest as far as Gaara was concerned, an idle curiosity. He had no way of knowing then that it was going to bloom into so much more.

* * *

"I always end up fighting girls," he complained. "If I lose without putting up a fight, it'll look bad for me, but if I won I'd have to fight again. It's troublesome, so this way is best," the Nara explained plainly.

"You really are a lazy bastard," Naruto said flatly. "Someone like you will never be a chuunin."

"Whatever," Shikamaru answered. "I thought we ordinary guys would stick together, but then you had to go and beat Hyuuga. I guess it'll be me, Ino, and Chouji next time. That's fine too." The Nara yawned and stretched, leaning his head back to stare up at the sky. "Being average is totally fine by me. Most people don't pass the exam the first time around anyway. Being a statistic is easier. People don't expect as much out of you."

Gaara, standing in a shadowed corner as Shikamaru and Naruto conversed, found the Nara's logic downright bizarre, but oddly amusing. He also got a strange pleasure out of the fact that Temari was so mad and trying not to scream her rage on the top of her lungs._'I was right,'_ the red head thought. _'He's interesting.' _ He didn't understand the Nara one bit and was fairly confident he never would, but he had the strangest impression that he'd like to see what sort of weird things Nara Shikamaru say next. It started as a niggle, an impulse; he had no idea it would balloon into something that would take over his entire life.

* * *

Shikamaru Nara wrinkled his nose. "Don't laugh," he said for what felt like the thousandth time. The comment only made Uzumaki Naruto laugh even harder. On the one hand, he was pissed about not passing himself, on the other, Naruto couldn't deny a small measure of hilarity at the fact that the one and only Konoha nin to pass the exam was the laziest, most cowardly nin of the bunch.

"It's funny," Naruto said when he finally stopped laughing, eyes wrinkled in mirth. "Some genius you are. You failed at being ordinary."

"Shut up!" Shikamaru griped. "I'm way more normal than you. What kid of ninja wears day-glo orange anyway?"

Naruto didn't take it personally. Shikamaru had a tendency to insult whoever was nearest at the time when he was flustered was all. "You know," the blond added, "for a guy who's supposed to be so lazy, you sure put a lot of effort into seeming average.

Shikamaru sighed. "Yeah, yeah. It's all part of my diabolical plan."

* * *

"To think," Temari grumped, "a lazy bastard like that would be the only one."

Kankuro shrugged. "It may not be official, but he had you beat, after all."

"I was having an off day!" Temari defended. "This time I'll show him."

Gaara blinked. They had to be talking about Nara Shikamaru. No one else made any sense as the topic of this particular conversation. "The only one what?" he asked, startling both siblings as he hadn't said a word since breakfast.

Kankuro was the one to answer. "Temari's favorite person is the only one of the Konoha nin to pass the chuunin exam. It's a little belated given all the stuff that's happened for them recently, but ever since our big sis here found out he's the team leader of this mission she's had her fishnets all in a twist."

"I have not!" Temari griped. "It just annoys me a little. If he wasn't so damn lazy, we wouldn't have to save their asses."

"I'm sure he'll be thrilled when you inevitably tell him so in person," Kankuro retorted, at which point Temari threatened to shove her fan up a very uncomfortable place.

His siblings antics didn't particularly phase Gaara. Rather, it was one turn of phrase that got him: 'favorite person'. He dwelled on it. It was a concept the slightly less homicidal Gaara was only beginning to understand. _'Who is my favorite person?' _he wondered. Was it okay not to have one? And did you have to think about it? It seemed like an awfully important thing to choose. "Temari?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

"How do you choose a 'favorite person'?"

Kankuro had to struggle not to laugh. "Go ahead. Tell him, Temari." He was sure glad Gaara wasn't asking him and deliberately ignored his elder sister's aptly coined 'glare of imminent doom'.

"It's not something you pick," Temari said at last. "It's just something you know. And just to be _very _clear, Nara Shikamaru is _not_ mine."

Gaara thought about this for a long moment. Well, if he wasn't Temari's, he had to be someone's right? "Maybe he can be mine then," he mused, not fully understanding what he was saying just yet. Even so, the statement made Kankuro falter and leap right past the branch he'd been aiming for. He hit his head and fell gracelessly into some bushes. There was a comical crash just as Temari stopped dead in her tracks and said soberly, "Gaara, do you really like Shikamaru that much?"

"I don't know," Gaara answered innocently. "But if I 'just know' who my favorite person is, then I think it has to be either him or Naruto. You can only have one favorite though, so I thought if he wasn't yours, maybe I could have him."

Kankuro stayed down in the bushes a while longer, not daring to emerge before he stopped laughing. Gaara had no idea what he was saying, and the funniest part of it all was that he could just imagine the look on Shikamaru's face when he found out a clueless, slightly homicidal, demon-containing sand nin had a crush on him. He prayed he'd be there to see it.


	2. Chapter 2:Shapes and Sizes

**Long Road to Love**

**A Naruto Fanfiction**

_**Shikamaru x Gaara**_

**Chapter 2: Shapes and Sizes**

"Hey! Since you're in town, come with us!" Naruto declared. "It's Chouji's birthday. Everyone is having barbecue. I'd rather have ramen," he added dramatically, but it's Chouji's birthday so he gets to choose. It's not all you can eat though — Chouji would put them out of business."

"That's a little rude," a voice came from behind them and the two short nin turned to find Team 10 standing there. Gaara blinked at Shikamaru in his green chuunin vest. _'He got a little taller,'_ he thought idly of the Nara.

"It's true though!" Naruto chirped. "Fa – er – Chouji could eat all day and night without stopping!"

"It's for his jutsu!" Ino defended in a strange and uncharacteristic manner. She wasn't one to defend the chronically overweight normally – it was just Chouji, which was starting to make people think things that she might not realize herself until much later. "Don't be a jerk, Naruto," she continued. "It's his birthday, you know, so behave yourself for once."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at the girl. "I know, I know already," he complained before flowing right into his next statement. "Gaara can come too, right Chouji? Kankuro and Temari are probably already tagging along anyway."

Shikamaru's shoulders tensed slightly. It wasn't that he had anything against Gaara personally, well, other than the fact that he was kind of a creepy, homicidal maniac who had tried to kill a few of his best friends. Yeah, there was nothing personal about that at all. And he was all for people redeeming themselves; he just didn't want to be in Gaara's way when he relapsed.

"Sure!" Chouji answered, as friendly as ever, "The more the merrier."

Chouji, Shikamaru thought, was far too nice for his continued well-being. "...troublesome..." he muttered under his breath.

"Huh?" Naruto asked, trying to get Shikamaru to speak up.

"I said if we're going, we should get going," Shikamaru answered in his more ordinary tone, not easy when you're trying very hard _not _to watch Gaara out of the corner of his eye in case of possibly random acts of homicide.

Gaara had heard what the Nara had really said though and it caused the strangest upset in his stomach. Well, Akimichi could have his serving. Gaara couldn't help but take that 'troublesome' very, very personally. He kind of wanted to find someone who he could ask 'how do you convince someone you're not psychotic anymore?' but he had a feeling anyone he asked would give him more than a few strange looks. At any rate, Shikamaru would never agree to be his favorite person – whatever that actually entailed – if he couldn't convince him he was at least remotely normal.

Sitting down next to Naruto in the restaurant, Gaara mused on how to approach the subject. Naruto was similar to him, right? Maybe he'd have some kind of advice. Sabaku no Gaara, of course, respected Naruto too much to realize any advice the blond might have was probably _bad advice_.

"Naruto."

"Hm?" Naruto asked, blinking. "What? You don't like barbecue much either, huh?"

"That's not it. It's, you see, I ... want to convince someone I'm not crazy anymore," he said quietly. "But I don't know how."

Naruto blinked a few times, then brought his hand to rub his chin and nodded sagely in thought. "I see. I see. In that case, let's see... just tell them you aren't!"

"I think, with this person, I'll need to prove it," Gaara answered.

Naruto resumed his thinking pose. "Let's see. Well, maybe if you told me what the person is like I could help better."

Gaara found this incredibly embarrassing and resorted to silence.

"Okay okay, so don't tell me, geez," he said. "Well, you just have to make them listen to you somehow, like, maybe always be where they are until they _have to_ pay attention to you, and _then_ you can tell them." That's called stalking, Naruto, and most people think it's _bad_.

"I see. I can do that." When the waiter went to put a portion in front of their table, he gestured to give his to Chouji. His stomach was too in knots to eat, and anyway, he wasn't sure how to use one of these hibachi tables anyway. If he had eyebrows, he'd probably find some way to burn them off, so it was better that he just leave well enough alone.

Chouji blinked, but didn't even hesitate when another serving was brought to his table. "From Gaara-san," the waiter said.

Shikamaru blinked and glanced at the table to find the red head staring a little. He was a little creeped out, but he figured the red head was just looking to see if he accepted the 'gift'. Chouji grinned and waved in thanks and the Nara thought, _'Well, I guess as long as he's trying...'_

* * *

Three days. Everywhere Nara Shikamaru turned, Sabaku no Gaara was there, for the past three days. He tried to chock it up to coincidence the first day, but by halfway through day two he was convinced Gaara was plotting his untimely and very gruesome demise. By the third day every time a stray wind kicked some dust up about his ankles he was ready to jump out of his skin, say his prayers, and scream at the top of his lungs—in no particular order. Even cloud-gazing was a cold comfort; it was hard to relax when every time you thought you found an escape a homicidal red-headed chibi quietly sat down a few feet away.

"I think it's cute," Ino teased quietly as she sat across from the Nara at a small cafe where they were drinking some tea while waiting for Chouji to go train. "He's got a little crush, right? And he doesn't know how to tell you! It's that kind of thing."

"He wants to crush something alright," Shikamaru mumbled when Gaara appeared again, taking a seat in the corner of the cafe. "Like my skull." The Nara sighed. "I swear there's a deity up there somewhere who really hates me."

"You're not going to call it troublesome?" Ino teased.

"It's beyond troublesome," the Nara answered. "I can't take much more of this..."

* * *

Day four Shikamaru Nara reached his limit. He was just sitting down on the front porch with his rather overweight cat, thanking any deity who would listen that his tyrannical mother was out and about for another two hours and he could get through the next little while laying about in a shard of sunlight without worrying about dodging flying utensils or being told to clean his room. Both things were troublesome, but they weren't the only troublesome thing.

Just as he was getting to his laziest, stretching and halfway through a yawn, he spotted red hair and a large gourd coming leaning against a tree across the street. Sufficed to say, Nara Shikamaru snapped. He leaped to his feet and pointed at Gaara. "You... you... stop stalking me! What the hell do you want?!" he demanded with more energy and less common sense than he'd ever expressed in his young life thus far.

Gaara, not sure what prompted the reaction, moved forward a few steps to look up at the shadow nin. "I wanted to show you that I'm not crazy anymore."

"Well you're doing a _bad job_!" Shikamaru protested. "Following me around like some kind of lunatic. Rather than proving you're not crazy, you're driving me insane!" Things, he realized a little to late, one should never say to a homicidal demon container.

But rather than trying to crush his skull, Gaara just frowned. "Naruto said this way would work," he mumbled.

Shikamaru blinked a few times. "Naruto?" He shook his head a bit. _'That idiot.'_ "...now it makes sense. Listen, I know you get along with Naruto and all, but he gives really horrible advice."

Gaara just blinked, and Shikamaru sighed, remembering Gaara's donation to the bottomless pit that was Chouji's stomach. _'He is really trying hard, even if he keeps fucking it up.'_ "Okay, so, say for now I buy you not being as crazy as you used to be seeing as how you haven't killed me yet, what does it matter if I know that or not?"

Gaara pondered this, having not gotten that far yet in his own thought processes. "I don't know," he admitted. "I just thought it was important to tell you."

Shikamaru quirked a brow. _'Maybe not homicidal anymore,'_ he thought. _'But still pretty damn weird.'_

Gaara continued to ponder it for a while and Shikamaru decided it was probably safest not to break his train of thought. "Maybe..." Gaara mused. "I wanted to be friends?"

"It's pretty sad when you aren't sure, you know," the Nara said.

"..." Gaara didn't know how to answer.

"Okay, fine. Friends. Just stop following me everywhere I go, okay? Friends don't stalk friends."

Gaara nodded. "But, then how will you know when I want to talk with you?"

What a hopeless guy. "Well," Shikamaru explained, " 'Hello' is always a good place to start."

"Hello," Gaara repeated.

_'Great,'_ the Nara thought. _'First I had a stalker, now I have an echo. I'm not sure which is worse.'_


	3. Chapter 3: Girls Always Know

**Long Road to Love**

**A Naruto Fanfiction**

_**Shikamaru x Gaara**_

**Chapter 3: Girls Always Know**

"...what?" Shikamaru asked skeptically.

Temari sighed. "You know, you're still pretty lazy and clueless, aren't you?" she complained, shaking her head. She got along with Shikamaru, for the most part, but she couldn't help but feel exasperated.

"You know, most people say, 'Hey, Shikamaru, it's been a while' and _then_ get into the insults," the Nara retorted. As the Sunagakure Liaison with Konoha, Temari was someone he was lately seeing a lot more of than he expected or ever thought he'd be able to stand, but other than a few brutal insults, they'd actually become pretty friendly with one another. She wasn't too bad – for a woman.

Temari shrugged. "I like to be unique," she answered.

"That's one way of putting it," he retorted. "Weird girl."

Temari stuck her tongue out at him. "Buy me breakfast," she said suddenly, pulling him by the wrist. "You're my escort while I'm here, aren't you?"

"And once I've fattened you up you're going to tell me why I'm clueless this time, I imagine?" Shikamaru asked.

"Sure," she said. "If you ask nicely."

"That's too troublesome," he said. "How about I just pay and we call it even."

"You've got yourself a deal."

Shikamaru and Temari discussed more mundane topics at first. Things about the chuunin exams that had to be dealt with in which every fifth word out of the Nara's mouth was either 'troublesome' or a heavy sigh. Shikamaru wasn't stupid. He knew she was waiting for the cafe to clear out a little, which made him worry just what she was going to pester him about this time and hoping it wasn't something too strange.

"So," she finally blanketed, "what's the deal with you and Gaara?"

Shikamaru choked a little at the suddenness of the comment and barely managed not to choke on his tea. "Come again?" he asked. Not many things could surprise him. Temari made a habit of doing it.

"You," Temari said slowly. "And. Gaara. What's going on? He keeps requesting you when we need an extra set of hands, and he had me deliver that letter to you when he decided I was coming here to help with the exams."

"That's nothing," he said. "He decided all on his own that we were going to be friends. I don't mind, or anything. You've been hanging out with your brother and Kiba too much. It's corrupting your mind."

Temari made a scoffing noise. "Oh? Then I'll ask a different question. What's the deal with you and Neji?"

Shikamaru put down his tea after a almost choking for a second time. "How did you even find out about that?"

Temari shrugged. "Girls always know," she answered.

Shikamaru muttered something about women being scary.

"Just answer the question," she said, resting her chin in her hand.

"Me and Neji, huh?" Shikamaru asked quietly. "Nothing in particular. We did have a thing going for a little while, but it was nothing really worth mentioning. We're friends."

"But you_ were_ sleeping with him."

"Temari!"

"What?" she complained. "As your designated fag hag I need to keep up to date on these things."

"I don't remember making any such designations," Shikamaru complained.

"Ino designated me."

Shikamaru rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Why, exactly?"

"Because she's busy being all lovey-dovey with Chouji and can't be bothered to find you a guy who doesn't mind that you're lazy and boring, or that you slouch, so it's my job now. I'm only here once or twice a year, so when I am I have a lot of time to make up for."

"Or here's an idea," Shikamaru said. "You can leave my love life, or lack thereof, alone."

"So then you aren't seeing anyone," Temari confirmed.

Shikamaru twitched, irritated that she'd just flustered him enough to beat him at his own game. He hadn't seen that one coming. He sighed. "Not at the moment, no, _not that it's any of your business._"

"Just accept defeat," she said. "Now, about you and my baby brother," she returned to the original topic.

"Temari, do you understand how many levels this conversation is disturbing on?"

"Probably about forty-six, but that's not the point," she answered. "He wrote you a letter. He doesn't write letters to _anyone_ if he can help it. He makes Kankuro write the letters to the fifth, using the excuse that he has bad handwriting."

"He does," Shikamaru confirmed the comment on handwriting. Reading that letter had involved a lot of squinting and page shifting. "As for letter writing, you don't have me convinced of anything; he doesn't speak if he can help it either. That doesn't mean it'll never happen."

"Well, what did he write about?"

"Nothing in particular."

"Come_on_, give me _something_ ," Temari complained. He was so crazy for so long that now that he's getting to be my adorable baby brother again I want the gossip.

"I'm telling him you called him that."

"Nara..."

Shikamaru frowned again. "I'm telling you, it's nothing. He was asking how to take care of cats."

"Cats?"

"Yeah, he knows I have one, so he wanted some advice, apparently. I don't know why he couldn't just ask someone closer to home though."

Temari's lips peeled back into a huge grin at this revelation.

"...what now?" Shikamaru complained.

"Unless he's hiding it in his gourd, I can say pretty confidently that Gaara doesn't have a cat."

"Well, maybe he found a stray," Shikamaru said.

"Trust me on this one," Temari insisted. "There's no cat."

Shikamaru's brow furrowed. Why would Gaara ask about cats if he didn't have one or any apparent intention of getting one?

"Here's a theory," Temari said. "He was trying to find something to write you about."

"That's ridiculous."

"Maybe," Temari answered absently. "Or maybe there's something in that overused, strategic mind of yours that makes you a real idiot when it comes to relationships."

"I'm telling you there's _no relationship," _Shikamaru protested.

"Yeah, I know," Temari answered. "That's the problem."

Nara Shikamaru sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's not going to work," he said. "This disturbing idea you've gotten in your head that involves setting me up with your kid brother, just let it go."

"Come on, at least think about it, would you? You're his first crush."

"I guarantee he's crushed plenty of things before he ever met me."

"Is he not your type? Is that what this is about? Because you know, you really shouldn't be so picky."

"It has nothing to do with anything like that," Shikamaru sighed. "He's cute. But I prefer a guy who won't murder me for saying so."

"He's not like that anymore!"

"He _might _not be like that anymore," Shikamaru corrected. "Temari, you and I are pretty good friends, you know, and so it's as your friend I'm saying this: you have got to be the single most disturbed woman I have ever met. Now as much as I don't want to be bothered, we've got a lot of work to do, and that, at least, is less troublesome than this idiotic conversation." He pushed away from the table and moved to the counter to pay.

On their way out of the cafe, Temari poked him in the cheek. "You know, last time you were in Suna, I saw you two chatting. You_smiled._"

"...the answer is still no."

Temari smiled deviously. "Well, I'll have to accept that then," she said. "... for now."

* * *

"Heey! Gaara!" Naruto jumped down off of Konoha's main gate and ran over to his old friend. "It's been a while!"

"Naruto," Gaara answered. He may be a kinder, gentler Gaara these days, but the kazekage still didn't say much.

Naruto grinned stupidly. "Come on come on!" he gestured. "Let's go eat ramen."

"I..."

"Oh, that's right, you probably have to see Granny first, huh? Well, then let's eat together later," Naruto babbled. "Tell her to hurry up and make me a chuunin. It's embarrassing to be this far behind you," he joked with an impish grin before seeing Temari and Shikamaru approaching.

Naruto made kissy faces. "Ooooh, it's Shikamaru and his giiirrlfriend!" he teased.

Shikamaru, annoyed at the constant jokes out of the rowdy blond, punched Naruto on top of the head. "I told you it's _not like that._"

Naruto protested, rubbing the sore spot on his head, but recovered quickly and said conspiratorially, "he's just embarrassed."

"Keep it up, Naruto," Temari said. "Shikamaru may be too lazy to kill you, but I'm not."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at Temari and called her a 'barbarian woman'. It was about then that Shikamaru decided to return to more serious conversation. "Anyway," he said, "I'm supposed to escort you to the Hokage's Mansion," he said. "And show you where you'll be staying while you're here." He wasn't sure how to address Gaara now that he was the Kazekage, so he'd opted not to address him at all.

Gaara nodded. "Alright," he answered. His stomach was upset again. So, Shikamaru was dating Temari? He found himself really bothered by the information and got a little sullen. Shikamaru wasn't her favorite person, right? She'd said so. Did she forget?

"So what's this about a cat?" Shikamaru asked, startling Gaara out of his thoughts.

_'Cat?'_ Gaara wondered before it came to him that he had, in fact, written half of page to Shikamaru about cats. This embarrassed him greatly and he was glad for his sand armor: it hid the blush that blossomed across his cheeks. "Oh I...thought I might get one, if they weren't too difficult to care for."

_'So that's it_,' Shikamaru thought, content with the answer, after Temari's pestering of the day before as they walked along. "I think it would be good for you to have something to take care of," he answered after a bit of thought. "They're not so bad. Don't have to take them for walks or anything. Mine is fat and lazy, so we get on pretty well. Do you think you'll have time to take care of a pet though? Being Kazekage and all must take up a lot of your day." Except that being an insomniac gives Gaara twice as many hours as everyone else, doesn't it?

"...Well, maybe. That's why I was asking," Gaara said. Yeah, it had nothing to do with the fact that you had nothing else to write about, Gaara. We're so sure.

Shikamaru shrugged. "Well, cats are basically nocturnal for the most part, so you'd have someone to keep you company at night, I guess."

Weird thing was, now that they were talking about it, Gaara felt like maybe he _should_ get a cat. They seemed kind of nice.

* * *

"How long?" Gaara asked.

Temari blinked, lowering her chopsticks. "Sorry, what?" Temari asked. She still had trouble keeping up with Gaara's train of thought sometimes.

"You and Shikamaru. How long have you been seeing him?"

Temari blinked, then tried not to laugh. _'Is he, jealous? Hah! He really is getting to be pretty cute,' _she thought. "We weren't lying before, you know," she said. "We're just friends."

"Is he your favorite person now?" he asked.

Temari blinked, having completely forgotten the conversation they'd had years ago until he mentioned it. She started laughing. "No, good lord, no!" she laughed. "We're just _friends_. Besides, I'm not so mean as to date someone my brother likes, you know, Gaara."

Gaara blinked. She knew? He didn't know how to express his confusion.

Temari just smiled bemusedly and told him the same thing she'd told Shikamaru a few weeks ago, "Girls always know. Aaaannnd, I've found out he's not seeing anyone anymore, so now's a good time for you to try to get his attention."

"Temari..." he said dangerously.

"What?" she asked indignantly, "I'm helping! I'm rooting for you, you know. I think you suit each other." She was probably the only one. "You're only here for the chuunin exam, so if you're going to convince him of that, you've gotta get cracking. He's actually pretty popular right now, so if you don't snatch him up, someone else will, and he'll be too lazy to tell them no."

_'Snatch him up?'_

* * *

"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Shikamaru protested. "It's three in the morning!"

"I'm 'snatching you up'," Gaara said. "Temari told me to."

The groggy shadow nin twitched a little and made a mental note of not saying things to Gaara that he might be prone to misunderstanding. "It's a figure of speech, damn it!" he complained from where he was sitting in a giant hand made out of chakra infused sand. "This isn't what she meant," he sighed. How embarrassing was this?

Gaara let him down. "What did she mean then?"

The Nara sighed. This was getting out of hand. "Listen, Gaara, I'm flattered, okay? Seriously. A lot. But you live really far away, you know, and I'm kind of seeing someone." It wasn't a lie. He'd_ just _been accosted by one of the Konoha Jounin a few hours earlier, actually, and because it was embarrassing enough for a guy practically old enough to be his father to admit his crush, and too troublesome to say no to someone he really didn't have anything against, Shikamaru agreed to try dating Genma. It was partially to get Temari off his back, but he had no idea that the girl's ramblings would actually turn out to have some fragments of truth in them. Life was just so weird and...troublesome.

Gaara frowned a little. Shikamaru thought it looked more like a pout than a murderous rage, and tried not to get too nervous over it.

"Temari said you weren't," Gaara said finally.

"Well, see, when she asked me, I wasn't, but that was two weeks ago. Things have changed," the Nara explained awkwardly.

Gaara seemed to be very upset by this, muttering something about bad intelligence under his breath, but after a tense moment, Shikamaru realized the red head wasn't going to kill him. He was just really embarrassed. When Gaara finally spoke again he asked, "does this mean I can't talk to you and write you letters anymore?"

Shikamaru relaxed. "Nah, you can still do all that stuff. We're friends, right?"

Gaara nodded slowly.

"Well," Shikamaru said after an awkward silence. "I'm awake now. Do you want to come inside and meet my cat? You know, maybe it'll help you decide whether or not you want one."

Gaara paused a minute, then nodded and followed the Nara inside. "We just have to be careful not to wake anyone up," Shikamaru whispered. "Come on, my room's this way," he gestured. "It's messy, so be careful."

Gaara didn't much like the idea of Shikamaru seeing someone, he decided, but he decided not to say so. He just wouldn't tell anyone that Shikamaru was his favorite person. Then things didn't have to change.


	4. Chapter 4: The Bad News

**Long Road to Love**

**A Naruto Fanfiction**

_**Shikamaru x Gaara**_

**Chapter Four: The Bad News**

Shikamaru leaned back with a slight frown, staring up at the clouds. Naruto and the others had run off to help Sunagakure get Gaara back. It was the first time Shikamaru hadn't been chosen for the mission, but that was because he'd been tied up in other things at the time. The Nijuu Shotai had him pretty busy, and while he knew what he was doing was important (and, of course, troublesome) he couldn't help but worry. He knew what the Akatsuki were after now, and if that was the case then there was a good chance Gaara could be killed. And what was he doing? He was laying on the roof, staring at the clouds.

"Shikamaru, are you listening?"

"Sorry, what?" the Nara asked, rolling his head to look at Genma.

"You're really distracted lately," Genma said.

Shikamaru sat up. "I just can't help but think about the situation in Sunagakure," he answered. "I wish we had some news, that's all."

"I guess I understand," Genma answered, but Shikamaru thought it was just something to say. He doubted Genma really understood how neurotically worried Shikamaru often became over his friends' well being. "It just seems a little strange, I guess," Genma continued. "I mean, no matter how you look at it, even as friends you and Sabaku no Gaara are a bad match." Genma wasn't worried about Shikamaru having romantic feelings for the red head; it just seemed far too out there to be even remotely plausible. He and Shikamaru were both naturally laid back, it made them good company for one another. The age difference was the only real dilemma, but no one bothered to say anything since the Nara was so mature for his age. Even his parents didn't seem to care: Nara Yoshino had long since given up on getting any grandchildren out of her lazy son and had taken to pestering her husband about having another baby. Shikaku was hesitant to put another child through life in their household, but it seemed as if his tyrannical wife was starting to wear him down.

Even if it was innocent though, the comment about him and Gaara being a 'bad match' did get Shikamaru to thinking. It was true. They were nothing alike and he had the feeling that if exposed to each other for long periods of time, they'd exhaust all possible conversations pretty quickly. There was no way around it. Even as friends they _were_ a bad match. Gaara, the Nara had come to realize, was way too amazing a person to be hanging around with a lazy slacker like him. "Well, he doesn't have many friends. I guess he figures even a lazy ass like me is better than nothing," he answered absently, brushing off the conversation.

Genma accepted this and said, "are you going to come by tonight?"

Shikamaru gave a bland nod. "I guess so."

"Stay the night this time," Genma said.

"I have to feed the cat," Shikamaru answered. "Dad's away right now and Mom never remembers."

"That fat cat of yours isn't going to die if he skips a meal," Genma complained.

"Maybe not," Shikamaru said, "but he'll be mad at me."

Genma got up. "One of these days, you're going to have to find a better excuse than that cat," he said, "or I'm going to make you explain to me why you keep dating guys you aren't even particularly attracted to." He didn't know how much longer he could date the indifferent Nara before he gave up entirely. It was frustrating because he really was fond of Shikamaru and had thought it was only a matter of time before he grew on the younger nin. So far though, there were no signs of that happening and it was beginning to frustrate him.

"Because," Shikamaru answered without hesitating. "It's less troublesome."

* * *

_'Even as friends, you're a bad match.'_ Shikamaru didn't know why those words haunted him so much; probably, he figured, because they were true. No matter how you sliced it, Gaara should be out of his league. The only reason Gaara didn't know it was because he needed attention so badly that even the lazy – and currently very self-conscious – Nara Shikamaru was good enough. "He's not wrong," Shikamaru mumbled, walking home, stretching some soreness out of his back to go feed the cat. "But I wish he wouldn't put it so bluntly. No better than that damn woman," he thought, Temari and her troublesome grin passing through his mind. "Meddlesome. Mildly irritating." He made his way inside and filled the cat's dish. The fat cat rubbed around his ankles contently before flopping in front of the bowl to eat. Straightening up again, Shikamaru winced a little. "...and a bit too rough." He decided to take a long, hot shower, but just as he was heading for the stairs there was a knock on the door. His mother had disappeared again, probably off window shopping for baby clothes for that younger brother she was dead set on him having, so he sighed and opened the door, blinking when he found Asuma at the door looking rather sullen.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I've got some news about the situation in Sunagakure. Since you're close to the Kazekage and his sister I thought you might want to know what's going on."

Shikamaru stepped aside. "Come on in. I'll make some tea."

Noticing the Nara was limping slightly he asked, "rough day?"

"... something like that," Shikamaru answered cryptically, gesturing at the kitchen table.

Asuma waited for the tea to be ready and for Shikamaru to take a seat. "No one home, huh?"

"Dad's got a mission and Mom's probably going all crazy over baby clothes and rattles again," Shikamaru answered. "Just tell me what's going on."

Asuma shifted, slightly uncomfortable. "I imagine you know that Gaara was taken by the Akatsuki."

"Yeah, everyone has," Shikamaru answered.

There was a silence as Asuma searched for a good way to say the rescue mission hadn't gone well, but finding there wasn't one, he continued. "I'll be frank. From what intelligence we have right now it would appear..."

"Just spit it out," Shikamaru complained, really wanting that hot shower and getting the feeling he was going to want it even more after hearing whatever Asuma had to say.

"The Akatsuki successfully removed the ichibi," Asuma said. "Gaara is dead, Shikamaru."

The tea the Nara was lifting to his lips slipped from numb fingers and spilled across the table and all over the floor, the ceramic cup shattering against the tabletop. It took Shikamaru a good ten seconds to notice the hot tea spilled across his lap, and when he did he stood, cursing and running to the sink. _'Gaara, dead? That's impossible!' _he thought._ 'There must be a mistake!' _ His stomach roiled as he remembered all the troublesome nonsense Gaara had put him through over the years. Hijacking him out of his bed in the middle of the night, all the ridiculous letters, the accidental stalking, and even the terror early on before Gaara had been so affected by Naruto.

"...Shikamaru."

A strangled sob escaped the Nara's lips before he clapped his hand over his mouth. _'I think I'm going to be sick,'_ he thought. Asuma rested a hand on the teenager's shoulder. "At times like this," he said, "If you need to cry, you should go ahead and cry."

"I..."

"He was someone important to you, wasn't he? I know how protective you are of the people you care about," Asuma said.

"And how indifferent to everyone else, right?" Shikamaru answered. "You're not wrong but...I won't cry yet," he said. "Thanks for telling me but, I kind of want to be alone for now."

"Shikamaru."

"Right now, it's only intelligence after all. If I cry before we're certain and it turns out we're wrong, I'll feel pretty stupid."

Asuma's heart went out to the young Nara. It was too painful for him to accept just yet, that's all. Shikamaru was strongly affected by loss. Maybe that's why he and Gaara had become closer as the years went on. Gaara had a lot of pain and Shikamaru couldn't turn away from the suffering of others, no matter how much posturing he did. "Thanks for the tea," he said, dropping the broken mug pieces in the trash. "Get some rest."

Shikamaru nodded blandly and the moment the door closed he sunk down to the floor, watching the tea dripping from the tabletop. It wasn't long before it started to blur and he buried his teary eyes against his knees. _'I ... I have to clean this up before mom gets home,' _he thought. _'She'll flip out...'_ But he couldn't bring himself to move right away. Gaara couldn't really be dead, could he? Again, his earlier conversation with Genma came to mind._ "One of these days... I'm going to make you explain to me why you keep dating guys you aren't even particularly attracted to." _

Shikamaru repeated his answer now to the empty room, hugging his knees to his chest. "Because it's less troublesome," he muttered, "...than being in love."


	5. Chapter 5: The Good News

**Long Road to Love**

**A Naruto Fanfiction**

_**Shikamaru x Gaara**_

**Chapter 5: The Good News**

_'Shikamaru,_

_A lot has happened lately. I died for a little while. But now that I'm back, Kankuro says I should try to sleep a little. Shukaku is gone, so I won't risk letting him out if I do, but every time I tried,I ended up just staring at the ceiling. It was boring. I thought, since you sleep more than most people I know, maybe you had some advice on where to start._

_Sabaku no Gaara'_

It was the first sign Shikamaru had that Gaara was, in fact, alive. The letter came by messenger ahead of Team Kakashi, wrapped in a scroll to Tsunade about the happenings in Suna. She summoned him, and when he saw the letter in Gaara's handwriting he tore it open instantly. It was dated three days after Asuma had spoken to him about the ichibi. He suddenly started laughing and couldn't contain his mirth. It was a very Gaara thing to ask for advice on, but more than that, relief flooded him so completely that it came out as amusement that bordered on tears. "Geez," he complained. "What a troublesome guy." Nara Shikamaru was smiling when he said it. _'He's alive. Thank god.' _

"That _troublesome guy_ has requested you for assistance in Sunagakure," Tsunade said dryly. He claims he needs your genius to help devise better defenses for the village so that this sort of thing doesn't happen again."

Shikamaru crossed his arms over his chest. On the one hand, he'd love to confirm with his own eyes that Gaara was fine. On the other there was the Nijuu Shotai, which he also had responsibilities toward. If Gaara was no longer possessed, there wasn't much chance of them going after him again.

"You'll be going," she said. "I'll be sending Naruto, Neji, and Genma with you." Shikamaru blinked. The first two he'd expected, but Genma was a surprise. He wasn't really thrilled about it, if he had to admit that much. It made things awkward. His so-called relationship was strained lately at best, and the reason for it was Sabaku no Gaara. Throw in an ex-boyfriend (and still good friend) and Naruto, and Shikamaru was pretty sure he must have done something recently to piss Godaime off pretty royally.

"I see," Shikamaru answered for lack of better things to say.

"You'll be the team leader," she added. It was a bit untraditional as there were both a jounin and a special jounin on the team, but he was the one who was personally requested, and he was a member of the nijuu shotai, so it made its own kind of sense. He nodded stiffly. "You leave at dawn," Tsunade finished. "I'll leave it to you to inform the others."

It was her 'now get out of my office,' tone, so Shikamaru nodded stiffly and escaped the stifling atmosphere into the even more intimidating atmosphere of early evening. He knew Naruto would be at Ichiraku at this time, so he started there. Naruto, having just gotten back from Suna, gave him a flat expression. "Granny couldn't tell me this _before_ I came all the way back?" he complained.

Shikamaru shrugged. "That's how it is, so don't bother unpacking, I guess. We leave first thing in the morning. I've got to go tell the others."

"Oh yeah yeah! Who's coming? Ino and Chouji?" he asked. Add in one Shikamaru and they were the three musketeers, basically, so it seemed obvious. "No, it'll be Neji and Genma this time," he said. Naruto sweat dropped. "Maaan," he complained. "A bunch of boring guys. You're killing me!"

"Leave me out of it. I'd never pick a team this troublesome on my own," Shikamaru answered.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at the back of the Nara's head as the pineapple-haired male ran off towards the Hyuuga estate. "Jii-chan, gimme another bowl. This is depressing."

* * *

"So, let me get this straight," Neji said. "You're going to help out probably the only person you've ever been bothered enough to really love, with your considerably older boyfriend, and he probably knows you and I used to date."

"Sort of."

"...and you're bringing Naruto."

"...you're enjoying my misery, aren't you?" Shikamaru complained.

"Well, a little bit," Neji admitted. "But only because you're too smart to be this stupid. Even I know that there's no point in fighting against love."

"It makes me _feel better_," Shikamaru grumped, sighing. "Anyway, dawn. Tomorrow. Main gates. I have to go tell Genma."

Neji smirked slightly. "Good luck," he said. "You're going to need it."

* * *

"I see," Genma said blandly. "Well, if that's how it is, that's how it is," he said. "Maybe you'll finally make up your mind."

Shikamaru didn't care for the reminder, but that never stopped Genma from mentioning the things the Nara didn't want to deal with.

"I'm the one who's best suited to you," Genma continued certainly. "If I have to wait for you to finish mooning over the Kazekage for you to commit to this relationship, then I can be patient. After all," he said, getting up out of bed and getting dressed, quickly packing his travel bag, "I know what _my_ feelings are."

"...troublesome..." Shikamaru muttered under his breath, wondering how things would have turned out of it hadn't been too 'troublesome' to turn Genma down before Gaara yanked him out of bed at three in the morning, literally. It was a long while ago now, but he still wondered what would have happened if things were different then. Would he have found it 'too troublesome' to turn down Gaara too? Well, there was no point in dwelling on it now. The past is the past, and the troublesome mess he made was something he was going to have to deal with in his own way.

* * *

There was an awkward silence. "You got my letter?" Gaara asked.

"Yeah, congratulations on not being dead."

"Anymore," Gaara added.

"Yeah," Shikamaru said. "Naruto started to explain it, but I've decided I don't want to know."

Gaara nodded and stood up. He bit the inside of his cheek. He didn't know what to do with himself when Shikamaru was near. Coming back from the dead had a way of rearranging your priorities. The villagers of Sunagakure were still at the top of his list, but just below that there was Nara Shikamaru. "You've gotten taller again."

"...It's been a few months," Shikamaru said.

"...yeah." Well, this was really awkward. "You're still seeing someone?" Gaara asked.

Way to be forward, Gaara. "Basically," the Nara answered.

"And...he's your favorite?"

Shikamaru blinked. "Come again?"

"The person your dating is your favorite person? Temari said that's generally how it works."

Shikamaru shrugged. "He's the type of person who suits me," he answered, which was as good as saying 'not really'. "People don't always date other people because they're 'favorites', as you call it," Shikamaru explained, not sure how they ended up on the conversation or why he wasn't trying to fight his way out of it. He knew it was because it gave him an excuse to stay here and talk with Gaara privately, but that was dangerous.

"Then why else is there?" Gaara asked.

Shikamaru thought for a long moment. "I guess, because it's better than the alternative. For companionship."

"You said the same thing about having a cat," Gaara observed. As he spoke he moved to the desk and pulled something out of the open bottom drawer. He'd built a bed in it with an old pillow and a teddy bear, and pulled out a tiny little calico cat. One of its ears was slightly mauled and it's right foreleg was bandaged. Gaara really _had_ picked up a stray, but it purred so contently when Shikamaru reached out to pet it that he thought it suited Gaara pretty well. "What's his name?"

Gaara got awkward when he was asked this though and mumbled something.

"I can't hear you when you're that quiet," Shikamaru complained a little.

"K-Kagemane," Gaara stumbled.

Shikamaru looked away and blushed a little. "A-anyway, I guess someone should tell me what the villages current defense system is if you want me to improve on it," he sputtered.

"You hate it," Gaara sulked a little, putting the cat back down to rest in his drawer.

"I...don't," Shikamaru answered awkwardly. "I'm flattered."

Gaara frowned. It was what Shikamaru always said to him when he was trying to brush him off, but something was different this time, something that frustrated him. Shikamaru's speech had become more familiar, his reactions a little more flustered. He got the impression that maybe Shikamaru felt the same way he did, that maybe, just maybe, he was actually Shikamaru's favorite, but if that was the case, why was he dating someone else?!

"That's..."

"Gaara, just show me the information I need to do my job, please?"

"Do you hate me?" Gaara blanketed.

"No! Not at all!" Shikamaru assured. "It's just complicated."

"Because you've got a boyfriend?"

"Because you're you," Shikamaru answered. "And I'm me, and no matter what you think you feel, it's not enough to overcome an obstacle like that."

Gaara didn't understand, but he could tell Shikamaru was getting aggravated so left the subject alone at that. He'd ask Kankuro about it later. He pulled out a folder containing all the information the Nara would need.

As Shikamaru got up to leave the office he glanced over his shoulder and said, "I'm glad you're not dead, for what it's worth."


	6. Chapter 6: Your Final Answer

**Long Road to Love**

**A Naruto Fanfiction**

_**Shikamaru x Gaara**_

**Chapter Six: Your Final Answer**

"He's staring at me again," Genma complained.

"Obviously," Neji said moving his chess piece. They were taking a little break from the manual labor. "You're the competition. Gaara's not accustomed to someone being in his way and not killing them for it."

Genma's shoulders tensed a little as he moved his piece. "If you're trying to make me nervous, it's working."

"Not at all. I was just thinking that if I was you, I'd be a little embarrassed about dating someone half my age when everyone knows he doesn't even really care about me one way or the other."

Genma stared at Neji flatly. "You lack something in tact," he said. "This is the first time I've let myself like someone since Hayate died, you know. I know it's a little unconventional, but I still think I suit Shikamaru better than that guy does."

"I find that often, those you're fond of and those you're suited to aren't even close to the same thing," Neji said. "Checkmate."

Genma frowned at the board. "You and Temari are the exception to the rule," he said.

Rolling to his feet, Neji said, "Don't you think you're maybe just seeing what you want to see?"

* * *

"So?" Shikamaru asked. "How do you feel?"

"...the same," Gaara answered, brow furrowed as he lay back against the mattress.

"You're probably thinking too much. Try to relax a little and falling asleep should be easier. Kankuro is right. Without Shukaku, you have to take better care of yourself or you'll wear yourself thin. Then you won't be any good to anyone." He laid Kagemane down on Gaara's chest. "Nice deep breathing, try to imitate your cat, he's got it down."

Gaara opened his eyes and looked down at the scruffy little kitten. "This is hopeless," he said, petting the cat.

Shikamaru sighed. "Well, I don't get it. I'm getting tired just looking at you."

"...sorry."

"Nah. It's okay, but even a genius has their limits. I'm not sure what else to tell you," Shikamaru said.

Gaara seemed intent to give up for now and sat up, resting the kitten in his lap. "Thank you for trying," he said. It was hard to concentrate on relaxing when Shikamaru was there. He thought that was the problem, but didn't say so. He still didn't understand what was so wrong with him that Shikamaru would rather be with a – in Gaara's oh so humble opinion – mediocre special jounin twice his age than entertain the thought of being with him when Shikamaru was obviously way smarter and more attractive and funnier and kinder than the thirty year old Genma Shiranui. And not as weird. What was _with_ the senbon, anyway? Gaara wondered if he chewed on it when he was sleeping, and if so, how he managed not to choke. Okay, so it was petty jealousy that made him think this way, but he was extremely frustrated by the entire affair.

"It's fine," Shikamaru said. "You're just troublesome by nature. You can't help it." It was a bit of a joke, but when the nin got up to leave, Gaara and his 'troublesome nature' grabbed onto Shikamaru's sleeve.

The Nara blinked. "Well, come to think of it, I can probably get you some medicine that will knock you right out, if your situation is that bad."

"That's not it," Gaara said. "I...would you stay tonight? I mean, even if you're sleeping, it's okay."

"Gaara, I already told you..." Shikamaru said, ready to explain yet again how he was with someone, though he rarely stayed the night with Genma either.

"As a friend?" Gaara tried.

The pale green puppy expression made Shikamaru sigh a little and nod. "I'm sleeping on the couch though."

* * *

"Maybe we should end this," Genma blanketed when Shikamaru sat down across from him with a cup of tea, trying to rouse himself into full consciousness and showing he was having quite the hard time with it.

"Huh?" Shikamaru asked, rubbing his eyes.

"You were with _him_ last night, weren't you?" Genma asked, unable to curb a little hint of jealousy.

"Sleeping lessons," he said. "Nothing happened. Not much sleeping either, unfortunately." In spite of all their efforts.

"Not the point," Genma said. "It's like pulling teeth to get you to stay overnight with me. I bet he only had to ask you once. I've known from the beginning you weren't really interested, but I figured you'd warm up to me and come around over time. I've been more than patient."

"Borderline stupid," the Nara confirmed, too tired to curb his tongue.

Genma frowned, but didn't disagree. "I thought you'd realize that I was a better match for you than he is, but in the end you're only with me because it's too much of a bother for you to initiate a break up."

Shikamaru shrugged. "It's not like I hate you or anything."

"You don't particularly like me either," he answered. "Even months after the fact. I'm not trying to make you look like the bad guy, but even I have my pride. I've had enough. I lost. I give up. Do whatever you want."

Shikamaru watched as Genma got up to go about the work for the day. _'Whatever I want, huh?'_ he thought, and within the next five minutes burrowed into bed. Just a little nap, then he'd get back to work. So. Tired...

* * *

When Shikamaru woke two hours later, there was something warm cuddled up against his back. He tried to look without disturbing who, or what, ever it was, and managed to glimpse a little fly-a-way of vibrant red hair. He sighed and Gaara blinked his eyes open with a little yawn. "It was an experiment," Gaara defended himself, scooting back a bit as Shikamaru flopped onto his back.

"Were you sleeping?" Shikamaru asked.

"A little, I think," Gaara said. "I don't remember. I think I dreamed some. It was things I remember, but they were all out of order and there were things in them that didn't happen."

"So, your experiment?"

"I thought, if it was next to you, I might feel more relaxed and be able to rest a little," Gaara admitted, a little embarrassed.

Shikamaru rubbed his eyes and sat up. "Why me, huh?" he asked finally. "What is it about a lazy bastard like me that has you so enthralled?" Didn't Gaara understand how amazing he was? That he was supposed to fall for someone who was also amazing?

Gaara shrugged a little. "It's always been you."

Shikamaru knew that Gaara had no idea how romantic a statement that really was. "I'm a bad boyfriend," he said. "I don't pay attention to people and I'm too lazy to go on proper dates. I don't listen often."

"That's fine," Gaara said. "Since I don't say much."

Shikamaru couldn't help but find the earnest comment terribly entertaining. "You're something else. You really don't know how to give up, do you?"

"You can teach me that too," Gaara said. "As long as..."

"As long as what?" Shikamaru asked.

"As long as it's not..." Gaara slowed, feeling embarrassed. "As long as it's not giving up on you."

Shikamaru sighed. "Genma broke up with me today, you know," he said. "I guess I suck like that."

"Good," Gaara said, causing Shikamaru to blink a little. "If you're not his anymore, then you can be mine."

Again, Shikamaru found himself laughing a little at the comment. "You really are a stubborn, troublesome guy."

Gaara stared up at him, apparently unwilling to let it rest until he got an answer.

"It's too troublesome to tell you no," Shikamaru said at last, looking away, cheeks flushing slightly.

"Don't say it that way," Gaara insisted. "You're my favorite person, you know, so I...want to be yours too." Shikamaru made him use full sentences. He wasn't sure he liked that much.

Nara Shikamaru gave up at that point and leaned down, laying a light kiss on the corner of Gaara's mouth. "I'll probably never say it, you know," he said. "Because I'm a coward."

Gaara wrapped his arms around Shikamaru's neck, feeling as if he was somehow 'happy'. He'd never been truly happy before, so he wasn't sure, but he thought this bubbly feeling in his chest was probably close to it. "Is that your final answer?" he asked.

"Basically," Shikamaru answered, deciding he no longer gave a damn whether they were a good match or not. It was, after all, the first time he'd been in love. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss more directly on Gaara's soft mouth.

The kazekage looked up at him when they separated with a shy smile. "Then in the future," he said, pulling Shikamaru back down against the mattress. "You'd better write back."

Shikamaru let the red head do as he pleased, smirking slightly in reply. "I knew it when we first met, and I'm even more sure about it now. You're troublesome." He settled into the loose embrace against the mattress and finished by saying, "but I guess I don't mind."

Owari


End file.
